Agholor has look of next great USC wide receiver

USC's Nelson Agholor, right, had a breakout season in 2013 and appears to be on track for even bigger things this year. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LOS ANGELES – Marqise Lee and Robert Woods stood on the Coliseum sideline, but neither held a torch.

That already has been passed, at least symbolically, to Nelson Agholor, who now holds the title of Great Wide Hope on the USC offense. A long-legged, dynamic receiver, Agholor will be critical to the success of USC’s offense in 2014, and he got off to a good start Saturday afternoon during a brief scrimmage.

Agholor caught a 65-yard touchdown from Cody Kessler and made several other impressive catch-and-run plays, then drew hearty praise from Coach Steve Sarkisian for his “professional approach to the game.”

“The sky is the limit for Nelson,” Kessler said. “He has learned, and he know what it takes to be one of the top receivers, not only to play this year but to ever play here. He definitely has that potential.”

Agholor has waited his turn. He was a freshman in 2012, when Woods was USC’s featured receiver, and a sophomore last year when Lee drew most of the on-field attention, if not the biggest numbers.

That’s because Agholor and not Lee -- who’s almost certain to be a first-round pick in next month’s NFL draft -- led USC in receiving yards (918) and touchdowns (six) last season. Although he has struggled at times with consistency and isn’t superb at catching balls in traffic, Agholor has game-breaking talent.

USC has other options in Darreus Rogers, George Farmer and Victor Blackwell, but Agholor is the deep-ball threat. He showed that Saturday, when he beat cornerback Kevon Seymour for the long touchdown during the 10-minute, live-tackling portion of the two-hour practice.

“It’s just fun,” Agholor said. “When you label it `scrimmage,’ it kind of makes it more like a game atmosphere. When it’s a scrimmage at the Coliseum, it’s like every catch counts. We practice the same, but when we’re out here, it’s like there’s more juice.”

USC practiced at the Coliseum for the first time this spring but held out many top players, such as tailback Javorius Allen, to avoid further injuries.

“It looked like today was their first day of live tackling,” Sarkisian said with a laugh. “Guys were a little sloppy.”

KESSLER THRIVING

Sarkisian hasn’t yet named a quarterback, even though it remains highly unlikely that Kessler, last year’s starter, will lose his job to Max Browne. That speaks mostly to Kessler’s performance thus far.

Through six practices, Kessler has looked comfortable throwing deep balls, reading his progressions and generally managing USC’s new no-huddle shotgun offense. For the first time this spring, when asked about the quarterbacks, Sarkisian drew a distinction.

“Cody, he’s getting better every day,” Sarkisian said. “I think Max is improving as well, but I think maybe not at the rapid pace that Cody has been so far.”

Sarkisian has no timetable for naming a starter. Browne, a redshirt freshman, appears far more comfortable running an offense than he did last fall and said he still believes he has a chance to win the job.

“I’d say so,” Browne said. “I feel like I’m in the hunt.”

BANNER DAY

USC’s offensive line, the subject of much tinkering this spring, got another new look when Zach Banner got first-team reps at right tackle. Banner, a 6-foot-9, 345-pound redshirt sophomore, said he is ahead of schedule after having two surgeries last fall to correct a degenerative hip injury.

“It’s amazing,” Banner said. “I can’t tell you enough how good it feels to be out here with my team, but also to be out here with a new body. I don’t even know how to explain it. I feel no pain.”

The rest of the line consisted of Chad Wheeler at left tackle, Toa Lobendahn and Khaliel Rodgers at guard and Max Tuerk at center. Aundrey Walker, Jordan Simmons and Nico Falah remain out with injuries.

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